Which additive acts as an anticoagulant in the gray top tube?

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Multiple Choice

Which additive acts as an anticoagulant in the gray top tube?

Calcium is essential for the blood clotting cascade, so anticoagulants work by removing or binding calcium. In the gray top tube, the anticoagulant is potassium oxalate, which forms calcium oxalate and sequesters calcium, effectively preventing clot formation. The gray tube also contains sodium fluoride, a glycolysis inhibitor that preserves glucose, but it does not prevent clotting. Other additives listed are used in different tube types and colors and act through different mechanisms, not the gray top’s anticoagulant role.

Calcium is essential for the blood clotting cascade, so anticoagulants work by removing or binding calcium. In the gray top tube, the anticoagulant is potassium oxalate, which forms calcium oxalate and sequesters calcium, effectively preventing clot formation. The gray tube also contains sodium fluoride, a glycolysis inhibitor that preserves glucose, but it does not prevent clotting. Other additives listed are used in different tube types and colors and act through different mechanisms, not the gray top’s anticoagulant role.

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